Lu Jingze returned to his room, and Wang Xiuxiu followed him closely, never leaving his side, like a little tail.
"How are you? Is Qiu Xin alright?"
Lu Jingze raised his hand and gently tapped her forehead. "You only suffered minor injuries and have been taken to the clinic for treatment. You're only thinking about other people's affairs, completely neglecting your own grudges?"
Wang Xiuxiu covered her forehead and muttered, "I remember, I remember! Isn't that what you're here for? You're so smart and righteous, you'll definitely handle things perfectly!"
Lu Jingze was both amused and exasperated by her praise. He couldn't blame her any further, so he just sighed and said, "The government's lax governance will result in a major demerit in the performance evaluation. The person in charge of the brothel and the thugs who kidnapped you are both repeat offenders and have been sentenced to death. The rest of the relevant personnel have been handed over to the government for sentencing according to their past crimes."
After listening, Wang Xiuxiu nodded obediently, indicating her agreement with the outcome.
Although she was kind-hearted, she was not a pushover. These people deserved their punishment and should not be let off lightly.
Then, as if suddenly remembering something, she asked again, "What about the women in the building? How were they taken care of?"
Lu Jingze glanced at her and explained calmly, "They have been freed from their lowly status and given a certain amount of resettlement money. If any of them are willing to return home, the government will send people to escort them back to their hometowns; if they are unwilling to return home, they can take this money to find another way to make a living."
Wang Xiuxiu frowned slightly, her lips parted as if she wanted to say something, but she didn't know how to start.
Seeing her hesitant expression, Lu Jingze reached out and ruffled her hair. "Alright, stop making that face. Didn't you ask me to find a little girl named Qiuyue?"
Wang Xiuxiu's eyes lit up, "Found it?"
"We found him and brought him out, but the child wasn't in good health, so we took him to the clinic as well."
Upon hearing the news, Wang Xiuxiu was so happy she felt like she could fly.
She hugged Lu Jingze's neck tightly with both hands, shaking him excitedly and repeatedly saying, "That's great! That's great! Thank you, Lu Jingze!"
Lu Jingze felt a little dizzy from her shaking, but he couldn't bear to push her away.
This girl's mood changes so quickly; one moment she looks like she's surrounded by dark clouds, and the next she's all smiles again.
Lu Jingze had been recuperating in Xingzhou for over a month without realizing it.
His injuries gradually improved, and although he had not fully recovered, they were no longer a major concern.
During this period, although he was supposedly recuperating, he was never truly idle.
Besides dealing with the local government affairs piling up in the nearby prefectures, he spent his days accompanying Wang Xiuxiu around, which made his life quite fulfilling.
When the emperor, who was far away in the capital, learned of Lu Jingze's assassination attempt and injury, he was furious. He immediately ordered a thorough investigation and dispatched an elite imperial guard to Xingzhou to escort him back to the capital.
This army, commanded by the emperor's trusted confidants, was formidable and demonstrated the emperor's high regard for Lu Jingze.
When the news reached Xingzhou, Lu Jingze was enjoying tea with Wang Xiuxiu in the courtyard.
Wang Xiuxiu put down her teacup, looked up at Lu Jingze, and asked with a hint of reluctance, "Are we leaving soon?"
Lu Jingze nodded. "Yes, we will set off as soon as the army arrives."
Wang Xiuxiu lowered her head and remained silent for a moment, then suddenly raised her head. "Before I leave, I want to go and see the Qiuxin sisters again. They have just escaped their suffering, and I am a little worried about them."
"Go ahead, I'll have a guard accompany you."
---
The next day, Wang Xiuxiu arrived at the clinic with several guards.
When she opened the door, Qiu Xin was sitting on the edge of the bed, carefully feeding her younger sister Qiu Yue medicine.
Qiuyue was pitifully thin, but she nestled obediently in her sister's arms, drinking her medicine sip by sip.
When Wang Xiuxiu came in, Qiu Xin quickly put down the medicine bowl and pulled her younger sister to get out of bed to kowtow.
"Your kindness is beyond words, my sister and I have no way to repay you..." Qiu Xin's voice choked with emotion, tears welling in her eyes, too grateful to know what to say.
Although Qiuyue was weak, she struggled to get up and mumbled, "Thank you, sister..."
Wang Xiuxiu felt a pang of sadness, gently pressed Qiuyue's shoulder, and softly comforted her, "Lie down and don't move around. I'll come see you again when you feel better."
Qiuyue nodded obediently and lay back down on the bed.
Not long after, the medication took effect, and she fell into a deep sleep.
Wang Xiuxiu gently pulled Qiu Xin up and led her to sit down on a chair in the outer room. She asked, "I heard that the government gave you a settlement allowance. What are your plans for the future, you and your sister?"
Qiu Xin lowered her head slightly, a trace of worry on her face: "We can't go back to our hometown. Our parents passed away early, and our relatives are unwilling to take us in. My sister's health still needs a lot of money for treatment."
She paused, her voice almost inaudible: "I do know some musical instruments, and I was thinking of becoming a music teacher, teaching people to play the zither and flute, to earn some money to treat my sister's illness. But I'm worried that if people know about my past, they won't let me teach..."
Upon hearing this, Wang Xiuxiu felt a pang of sorrow in her heart.
In an era bound by feudal ethics, social classes strictly divided people into distinct groups.
The chasm between nobles and commoners, gentry and commoners, is as insurmountable as an insurmountable barrier.
Under this strict hierarchical system, prostitutes, who were at the very bottom of society, were considered to be inherently lowly.
No matter how tragic or heartbreaking their past is, they can hardly win the sympathy and respect they deserve.
Even those fortunate enough to be redeemed and escape their suffering still face the undisguised contempt of the world.
This is precisely what Wang Xiuxiu is most worried about.
The vast majority of these girls are unfortunate people with many misfortunes in their lives.
They were either sold into brothels by their parents after their families fell into poverty, or they were abducted by human traffickers, or they were displaced due to war and famine.
They were forced into brothels, falling into an abyss from which they could never find their way home.
During her time at Chunhua Tower, in the quiet of the night, Wang Xiuxiu could often hear the soft sobs of girls longing for home coming from inside the building.
"Qiu Xin, you..."
Wang Xiuxiu hesitated, as if she had a thousand conflicting thoughts in her heart.
What happens next may change Qiu Xin's fate, or it may plunge her into deeper pain.
She didn't know whether she should say it or not.
After some struggle, she finally mustered the courage to speak: "Since you can't completely get rid of that shameful label from the past, perhaps you could become the person who controls your own destiny?"
Her voice was soft, yet it carried a firm strength.
However, Qiu Xin looked completely bewildered by these words and did not understand their deeper meaning.
"What do you mean by that? What future do I... what kind of person do I have?"
Have you ever thought about opening a cabaret?
"Although Huanghua Town is not large, its geographical location is very advantageous. Most of the people who come and go every day are merchants from all over the country. These merchants are keen on a lively and cheerful atmosphere. If a song and dance hall could be opened, allowing them to enjoy music and watch dance performances while discussing business, I think that if managed properly, it would be enough for them to make a living."
Upon hearing this, Qiu Xin frowned slightly. "You mean... to open another Chunhua Pavilion?"
Her voice trembled slightly, clearly indicating that she was still traumatized by her past experiences.
Wang Xiuxiu quickly shook her head, "No! That's not true at all! The song and dance hall and the Spring Flower Pavilion are very different. The song and dance hall seeks pleasure but does not make merry. It only sings and dances, and does not sell its body. It only provides a place for poor girls like you to support themselves, so that they can support themselves with their own talents."
Wang Xiuxiu's tone was firm yet gentle, as she painted a completely new world for Qiu Xin.
Time passed second by second, and a long silence fell over the surroundings.
Finally, Qiu Xin slowly raised her head, and her originally dull eyes now shone with a bright light.
She looked at Wang Xiuxiu and nodded vigorously. "I understand! I'm willing to try! I don't want to be looked down upon anymore, and I don't want my sisters like me to suffer anymore. If... if there really is a place where we can survive on our own abilities, how wonderful that would be!"
Tears welled up in Wang Xiuxiu's eyes as she tightly grasped Qiu Xin's hand, "It's possible!"
Outside the window, the afterglow of the setting sun shone on the two of them, as if draping them in a golden glow.
The road ahead may still be difficult, but the flame of hope has been rekindled in their hearts.
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